4 Muslim Swedes charged in terrorism plot in Denmark

They planned to massacre the staff at the newspaper that first published the Mohammed Cartoons.AFP:

Danish prosecutors have charged four men for 'attempted terrorism' over plans to kill the staff of a newspaper that carried controversial cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed, a judicial statement said on Friday.

The four men, all residents of Sweden and arrested on Dec 29, 2010, had planned to 'kill a large number of people' at the Jyllands-Posten daily, it said.

Judge Elisabet Michelsen said the trial would start on April 13. The accused are a 44-year-old Tunisian, a Swede of Lebanese origin aged 29, a 30-year-old Swede and a Swede of Tunisian origin aged 37.

Jyllands-Posten published a dozen cartoons in 2005 of the Prophet Mohammed that triggered violent and sometimes deadly protests around the world.

There's been a lot of self censorship since this incident. A book about the controversy actually decided not to publish the cartoons, fearing violence from the Perpetually Outraged. While cultural sensitivities are important, more important is the absolute right of free speech and the consequences of bowing to pressure from those who threaten to do harm.

We've seen what can happen when this violence toward those who "disrespect" Islam or its prophet is unleashed as it was in Afghanistan over the burned Korans last week. Instead of toadying to the wishes of these Islamists, governments should make it clear in no uncertain terms that attempts to stifle free speech will be met with the full force of the law - not apologies and half hearted measures. If Muslims want to live in the west, they are going to have to adopt our values regarding freedom, not their backward, primitive notions of superstition and sacrilege.

They planned to massacre the staff at the newspaper that first published the Mohammed Cartoons.

Danish prosecutors have charged four men for 'attempted terrorism' over plans to kill the staff of a newspaper that carried controversial cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed, a judicial statement said on Friday.

The four men, all residents of Sweden and arrested on Dec 29, 2010, had planned to 'kill a large number of people' at the Jyllands-Posten daily, it said.

Judge Elisabet Michelsen said the trial would start on April 13. The accused are a 44-year-old Tunisian, a Swede of Lebanese origin aged 29, a 30-year-old Swede and a Swede of Tunisian origin aged 37.

Jyllands-Posten published a dozen cartoons in 2005 of the Prophet Mohammed that triggered violent and sometimes deadly protests around the world.

There's been a lot of self censorship since this incident. A book about the controversy actually decided not to publish the cartoons, fearing violence from the Perpetually Outraged. While cultural sensitivities are important, more important is the absolute right of free speech and the consequences of bowing to pressure from those who threaten to do harm.

We've seen what can happen when this violence toward those who "disrespect" Islam or its prophet is unleashed as it was in Afghanistan over the burned Korans last week. Instead of toadying to the wishes of these Islamists, governments should make it clear in no uncertain terms that attempts to stifle free speech will be met with the full force of the law - not apologies and half hearted measures. If Muslims want to live in the west, they are going to have to adopt our values regarding freedom, not their backward, primitive notions of superstition and sacrilege.